The homeland of dahlias is Mexico and Guatemala. Dahlias came to Europe in the 18th century and received two names. The Latin name DAHLIA was named after the famous Swedish botanist Anders Dahl. In Russia, the flower was called Dahlia in honor of the professor of the St. Petersburg Academy Johann Gottlieb Georgy, a botanist and geographer.

PLANTING

Dahlia bulbs are planted in the spring, after the last frosts have passed. Dahlias love warmth. When planting, choose the sunniest spot, provide a good water supply, but do not overwater and make sure that the soil does not dry out. It is best to water the plants late in the evening or early in the morning.

Plant the tubers at a depth of 10 cm and leave a distance of 30-40 cm between the tubers.

MAINTENANCE

Protect your plants from snails and slugs, which are particularly fond of the young leaves of dahlias. I have found an ecological method that has proven effective against these pests. I sprinkle shavings around the bulbs and place halved garlic cloves on top, which I refresh regularly. You can also apply garlic oil to the stems and shoots.

I don't use any special fertilizers for dahlias. When planting, I mix granulated cow's milk into the soil. manure.

As many gardeners know, pinching is essential if you want strong, long stems and abundant flowering. Dahlias are among the plants that require pinching at the tips of the shoots. When the plants reach 20-30 cm in height, use sharp pruning shears to cut off the top of the plants above the first or second row of leaves. This encourages branching, which in turn leads to more flowers and strong, long stems.

As they grow, Dahlias reach considerable size and have heavy flowers. Use supports to keep your plants upright during flowering and during adverse weather conditions.

FLOWER PICKING

Dahlias bloom from midsummer until the first frost. Cut mature flowers regularly for your bouquets. This encourages more flowers to form. The best time to cut flowers is when it is relatively cool: early in the morning or late in the evening; when the flowers are fully open but the center has not yet been pollinated by insects. Then they can last a little longer in a vase.

DIGGING AND STORING TUBERS

Dig up dahlia tubers with the first frosts (we dug them up in early November). Carefully loosen the soil with a pitchfork, lift and remove the tubers from the soil. Shake off the remaining soil from the tubers (we wash the tubers, but this is not necessary). Let the tubers dry, wrap each one in newspaper, sprinkle with shavings or vermiculite and put away for winter storage. It is best to store tubers at a temperature of +4-+10 C, in a cool, dry room. Do not forget to write down the names of the varieties when storing - this will make it easier for you to identify the varieties next year.

Good luck with your dahlias!

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